Too Many Layers — Part 1

As reenactors and living historians, we seek to emulate the lives of our forebearers for two reasons: to learn from the experience and to demonstrate their lives to the public for their education. (Let’s temporarily set aside the fact that we think dressing up in funny clothes and “getting medieval” is fun, shall we?) But there are some things that we find difficult to replicate accurately in our portrayals.

You may think I’m talking about not bathing or eating spoiled meat but you’d be wrong. Those who know me know that I would never further such lies about the way Medieval people lived. But I’m not even talking about sleeping on straw mattresses or drinking small beer instead of water or using an outhouse or washing in a basin, but something quite different. I mean wearing the proper amount of layers of clothing.

Ever wonder why you see people dressed no differently outside than inside in medieval paintings? Thank the Spörer Minimum!